LaGuardia terminal briefly evacuated for suspicious package

A terminal at LaGuardia was briefly evacuated today when an object with wires protruding caused alarm.

An airplane readies to taxi while another takes off at LaGuardia Airport in New York 14 September 2001. Credit: Doug Kanter/AFP/Getty Images.

Passengers in a busy terminal at LaGuardia airport were evacuated around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning following reports of a suspicious object.

Port Authority spokesman Ron Marsico said the object turned out to be a light fixture left on the floor for some reason and probably caused alarm due to wires protruding from it. He said it was unclear whether it was reported by a passenger, airport staff member, or security official.

Passengers waited outside the Central Terminal building for about 45 minutes while the Port Authority Police and the New York City Bomb Squad secured the third floor area overlooking the C concourse, where the suspicious object was reported, and made sure the item was not an explosive, Marsico said.

New York is in a heightened state of security following two massive bombings at the Boston Marathon Monday afternoon. The NYPD and Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced an increase in security personnel around sensitive areas throughout the city. Governor Andrew Cuomo also said national guard troops had been sent to secure several places, including John F. Kennedy Airport and LaGuardia Airport.